


One Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventeen Days

by SalamanderGoo



Series: Shifter Grumps [1]
Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Bat!Dan, Body Horror, Captivity, F/M, Fennec Fox!Ross, Human Experimentation, Husky!Barry, Hybrids, Jaguar!Suzy, Look idk what this is, Lynx!Arin, M/M, Multi, Torture, Vivisection, Vomit, Wolf!Brian, but i wrote it real fast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-07 20:31:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20823371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SalamanderGoo/pseuds/SalamanderGoo
Summary: Before freedom was gained once more.Brian was kidnapped so many days ago.  He could only keep track by the routine alarms and lights in the facility.  The spark in his chest was smothered just a few months in, leaving him broken and resigned to the experiments, counting as days passed one at a time.  But the spark begins to glow again when a new presence shows up in the cell next to his.  And maybe, just maybe, inspiration will strike again, and he'll yearn for his freedom.





	One Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventeen Days

**One Thousand and Twenty Five**

“One thousand and twenty five,” Brian mumbled, leaning his head against the bars. He’d been in the underground facility for nearly three years, hardly aware of what was happening these days. He hardly knew his own name, could only remember it because of the label outside of the door of the cell, which he could see in the mirror that looked around the corner. He was clinging to his last few scraps of sanity, spending his days alone.

The good days he wouldn’t be fed, would just have water occasionally working in the small sink by the hard bed. When he was fed, it just signified the looming experiments he was staring down the barrel at. He looked up at the mirror, gripping the bars tightly as he watched a shape become clearer. “Oh no.”

A guard with their face covered roughly shoved a plate through the slot between bars. “Eat. I will return for you in 25 minutes.” As if time still had any sort of meaning for Brian. He only knew how long he had been there based on guard changes and different alarms that sounded each day.

Brian took the plate with a weak thank you, sitting on the bed. He began to eat the raw steak, knowing he wasn’t holding onto his humanity as much as he used to. The experiments were changing him, physically and mentally. He felt drawn to instincts, logic often slipping through the cracks, and he would desperately cling to his knowledge of physics, just to prove to himself that he wasn’t fully gone.

He ran a tongue over his teeth, sharp and long, at least close to the front. He tore the steak apart, his body far thinner than it had been before his abduction. With a tired sigh, he laid on his bed, staring over at the wall. He didn’t think he’d be able to fully prepare himself for the experiments he knew he’d be facing. He looked down at his arm over the vein, red and raw and scarring from past experiments. His body still ached. Maybe his memories were lapsing, but he couldn’t remember the early ones, just knew he was harshly punished when he tried to lash out.

He closed his eyes until a bang jolted him upright, getting to his feet as the guard cuffed his hands behind his back and roughly shoved him out and down the hall, past cells full of others, experiments like him. Brian could make the walk with his eyes closed, and usually did, but today, he was alert and focused.

Yelling could be heard from down another hall, and Brian winced when he looked down. A woman was yelling for her husband, her long dark hair falling around her shoulders as she fought to hold onto him. Her husband was fighting, gripping her hand tightly, trying to pull her back as guards fought to control him. “Suzy, no!” Their hands were forced apart, and Brian could hear them both crying, his ears pressing down against the top of his head, tail drooping.

Odds were they’d be getting the same treatment as everyone else he’d seen. Jabbed with needles, forced to grow new appendages, to change. He glanced in the cell of someone who had been there for nearly as long as him. A lanky man with matted curly hair, who had grown fuzzy ears on top of his head, his arms turned to long, thin wings. Brian often saw him lying upside down with his head hanging off the bed, eyes closed. He wore the same faded gray clothes Brian wore with slight modifications for his wings.

Daniel. The nameplate was similar to Brian’s, just a first name and numbers and letters he’d never been able to decipher. Brian assumed it was an identification, like a serial number.

He forced his eyes away as he was shoved again, eventually pushed into a room with a treadmill, an IV bag, and another masked person in a lab coat. Brian swallowed back a whine, rubbing his wrists once he was uncuffed. It was easier not to fight.

He held out his arm, wincing as a needle was pushed into his vein, the liquid feeling like fire. He could feel as it was taken to his heart, unable to hold back a pained groan as the heat spread through his body, falling to his knees as he changed, bones and joints creaking. The masked people watched indifferently as his hands and feet turned to paws, face turned to a snout, fur sprouted from all over his body.

Sensors were connected to his legs and head, and before he was sure he could stand, he was pushed onto the treadmill. “Run.” A simple command, no room for argument.

So he ran.

He ran as hard as he could, panting for air after the first mile, so scared to be punished again. He’d been punished for stopping last time they made him run, and he’d hurt for weeks. He ran until he couldn’t anymore, until he collapsed in a heap and fell, a pile of wolf at the end of the treadmill, so exhausted the mere idea of standing ached.

The masked people were talking again, but his head was spinning, tongue lolling out of his mouth as he fought to not black out right there. Eventually, he was lifted and carried, an honest shock to him. This was the most ‘compassion’ he’d been shown in more than a thousand days. He just closed his eyes as he was carried, ears drooping.

As he was taken back to his cell, he weakly opened his eyes, seeing the man who had been pulled from his wife in the cell right next to his. His eyes locked onto the nameplate. Arin. He was pacing anxiously, eyes widening when he saw Brian in the guards arms.

Brian was dumped unceremoniously onto the floor of the cell and left there. He closed his eyes, breathing slowly and groaning when his body began to shift back, the serum wearing off. He could change at will, but it was hard and exhausting. He dragged himself over to the small sink, sighing in relief when it turned on, cupping his hands and drinking as much as he could without puking.

As he collapsed on his bed, he noticed a brick shifting near his head, and suddenly, it was pulled out. He blinked, staring at the eyes from the other cell. “Hey… that… huh.” He tilted his head slightly. “How’d you do that?”

“I’ve been chipping at the mortar since I realized I can’t pick the lock. The walls out are steel, I can’t break through them or anything. What’s going on?… where am I?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been calling this place ‘the facility’ since I got locked up in here… almost 3 years ago.”

“Why’d they put a wolf in there? Is it dangerous?”

“That was me. They do experimentation, make you… well, make you change. It hurts like hell, but… you seem resilient.”

“...Suzy.” Arin’s eyes widened, panicked. “Oh god… where did they take her?”

“I… don’t know. I think women are kept in another area.” He bit his lip. “...I’m sorry. If I could do something, I would, but new people are brought in so often and it’s not like I have much of a chance to talk to anyone here. Except you, now, I guess.”

“If I was with her, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad…” He sighed and it sounded shaky. “...I’m Arin, by the way.”

“Brian.” He looked up at the ceiling. “I saw you being separated from her. I’m so sorry.”

“We were kidnapped. One minute we were out at lunch together, the next, I’m waking up in the back of a van.” Arin leaned his head against the wall. “I’m scared.”

“...Well, it doesn’t mean much, but I’m here for you.”

“It means more than you could understand.” Arin gave him a weak smile. With a tired sound, he curled up, Brian settling in as the lights shut off in the facility.   


**One Thousand Thirty Three/Eight**

The next week was quiet for Brian, just an experiment with his blood. Those were the easy ones. They were Brian’s favorite, since it just meant a meal and a few needle pokes.

For Arin, it was incredibly painful. Brian had listened to his first transformation, the way his bones had creaked… it was horrifying to hear on the other end. Arin was a lynx now, with pointed ears that had tufts of fur and a short tail. His teeth were changing, growing and becoming more pointed, and his nails were practically claws.

“One thousand and thirty three,” Brian said softly.

“Eight,” Arin responded. Arin had started counting too, the only way to keep track of time. “I want to go home.”

“So do I.” Brian felt drawn to Arin. Maybe it was because he hadn’t really talked to much of anyone aside from clipped interactions with his captors. He laid on his stomach, pressing his face into the dirty, beaten, flat pillow he’d been given when he’d first arrived. “I don’t… remember much anymore. It feels like things are messing with my head.”

“Tell me what you do remember. I wanna know who you were before… all this happened.” Arin peeked through the hole between their cells. “Where did you come from?”

“I was a scientist.” He leaned his head on the wall, voice faintly muffled by the pillow. “Of, um, theoretical physics. I loved doing lectures and teaching, but I wrote a lot of academic papers and such. I… miss it. I miss being able to think and teach and learn. But all I’m learning here is that being a wolf sucks.”

“Wolves are pretty cool though?” Arin sighed. “I know it isn’t much consolation, but you’re kinda pretty. Wolf or not.”

“Well, you’re certainly the first to think so.” Brian closed his eyes lightly. “How about you?”

“I was an artist. I did animations online. Suzy makes jewelry, and god she’s so lovely… I miss her so bad. I need to know she’s okay.” Arin leaned back against the wall with a shaky sigh. “I love her so much, Brian. I can’t… What if I never see her again?”

“I’ll be sure that you do. I don’t know how, but I will.”

Arin stuck his hand through, reaching to squeeze Brian’s. “It means a lot. I know there’s nothing you can really do, but it means a lot. Makes me feel less alone.”

He quickly yanked his hand away when heavy boots were coming down the hall, leaning on the wall as Brian did the same to hide the missing brick. Plates were dropped by each of their cells. “Eat. Someone will return soon to take you to the lab.” They began to walk away, the heavy boots sending dread through his gut.

Brian slowly got up, picking up the raw beef. “...They’re taking both of us?”

“I guess? Is that weird?” Brian could hear Arin from where he was sitting by the cell door.

“Yeah. I’ve never been in the lab with anyone else except for the guards and the ones in the lab coats. I mean, I’ve seen Daniel, the bat, in passing before, and maybe Ross, the fennec, but… never in the lab. Sometimes they’ll let us out in the courtyard awhile, but it’s rare.”

“Oh…” Arin let out a long sigh. “I just want to see Suzy.”

They were quiet until two guards came, cuffing them and leading them. Daniel watched them closely, staring more than Brian could ever remember. Maybe it was nothing.

Brian could see Arin’s eyes darting wildly, ears swiveling as if he hadn’t gotten used to them yet. Presumably trying to find Suzy.

He looked away, heart aching for Arin. The poor thing looked run ragged, and Brian knew he wasn’t sleeping, at least based on his own lack of sleep and hearing the way Arin whimpered and trembled through the nights. Brian was used to it, but he could tell Arin wasn’t. Brian couldn’t even remember his own day 8.

The lab only had two gurney-style tables. Brian looked around anxiously, feeling far more flighty, tugging on his cuffs. He let out a startled cry as he was jabbed by some electric tool. “Sorry,” he blurted.

He was roughly pushed onto the table, but not uncuffed, his shirt cut off with a pair of scissors. Arin was sat on the other, not saying a word, face pale as he looked around.

“Now, you are to stay still. This will be a test on your resilience. We know of your communication through the cell and destruction of property. You should know better, wolf. The lynx will learn from your example.”

“What?” Arin tried to get up, but was pushed down. Brian tried to say something, but was gagged with a strip of fabric, the cuffs tight around his wrists. He tried to talk around it, tried to pull his wrists out. The first time he’d fought in years, but a hand roughly pushed against his throat, hard enough that he knew it would bruise. He gasped, air not going to his lungs.

“Now, wolf, we are going to see about the changes to your internal organs. After all, you were part of wave 3. And your group has survived the longest, nearly three years.” The masked ‘doctor’ picked up a scalpel, sending a cold spike of fear through Brian. “If you move, this will only hurt more.”

He let out a cry as the scalpel began to pierce his skin, starting at his chest. Arin tried to look away, eyes full of scared and empathetic tears. He was forced to watch as Brian’s muscles tensed up in pain and he shook as he tried not to move. Brian was almost screaming, biting down on the gag, his nails shifting to claws.

His chest was open, tears streaming down his face as he could feel hands on his organs, inside of him. He couldn’t bring himself to look, feeling utterly sick. He felt like he was hardly conscious, like the pain was pushing him almost out of his body.

Then his ribs were broken and he blacked out.

When he was awake again, his chest was stitched shut, and he was in agonizing pain, tears immediately welling up in his eyes. The gag was gone, making it easier for him to breathe. There were marks on the metal table where his claws had dug in as he’d fought to stay still. There was dark bruising around the stitches, indicating where his ribs had been broken. He couldn’t get full breaths in.

Arin almost jumped off the table, petting his hair. “Brian… oh god, I thought… I thought you were gone, man.” There were tears trailed down his face, and a stark red handprint that seemed to glow on his skin. Or maybe Brian was just woozy from pain.

A masked scientist pushed Arin back, away from Brian. “Good, you’re awake. It would be a shame to lose you. You and the bat are the most successful of wave 3, though the fennec is… resilient. Only the husky of wave 4 is anywhere close to being useful. The lynx and jaguar of wave 5 are coming along nicely, once they become submissive, we may be ready.” They were talking as they wrote, Brian staring dazedly.

Arin’s ears perked up. “Jaguar? Is that Suzy? Is she okay?”

“She is alive. If she obeyed orders more she might be healthier.” The scientist clicked their tongue. “Now, back to your cells.” They allowed Arin to help Brian back.

Arin let Brian lean on him, glancing over at the scientist. Brian was hardly staying up, in intense pain as he clung to Arin on the way back. Dan watched as they passed, meeting Brian’s eyes for just a second. But Brian wanted to just lay down and try to heal, though he knew it wouldn’t be very easy, at least if they were planning on still not feeding him or experimenting on him again.

Arin helped him get into bed and softly pet his hair and smoothed down the fur on his ears. “Sleep. I’ll be right on the other side of the wall, okay?”

Brian just let out a low groan, listening to Arin walk out, to the door swinging shut on his cell and the lock clicking, the hum of the lights, the distant sounds. He couldn’t move much, couldn’t breathe well. If anything, at least he’d been dressed in a new, untorn shirt before he’d woken.

As footsteps walked away, he looked at the ill-fitting brick that had replaced the hole Arin had made. “...How long was I out?” he asked, keeping his voice quiet between his shallow, pained breaths.

“It’s been two days since we were taken from our cells, it’s night now.”

“...One thousand thirty five.”

“Ten.”   


**One Thousand One Hundred One/Seventy Six**

“One thousand, one hundred and one,” Brian mumbled, hearing the blaring tone deep in the building that signified the shift change in the morning. He didn’t open his eyes, choosing to stay very still and pretend to still be asleep. It wouldn’t fool anyone, but if he kept his eyes closed, he could imagine he was at home, comfortable in bed. Of course, last week had marked his third full year in the facility, away from the home he vaguely remembered.

“Seventy six.” The response was quiet, and Brian’s ears twitched to catch the even quieter repeat. About a week after the punishment, Arin had started counting for Suzy, though the days were the same. Brian’s heart went out to him, though he had to admit that seeing Arin made his heart beat just a little faster. But there was no room for falling for another prisoner, especially not one who was married and aching to be back to his wife.

The quiet fantasies helped Brian get through the harder days, though.

Experiments on him had halted for about two months, during which he was fed regularly. He suspected the meat was laced with pain meds, though, if his ability to breathe by the end of the first week was any indication. His chest had scarred badly, and laying or stretching wrong just hurt. But he figured it was another experiment, to test healing. After all, his punishment would probably be some kind of experiment if that much time was spent on him. He could breathe fairly easily now, but it was full of aches and pains. 

He didn’t know how long he laid in silence, appreciating the fact that Arin was just on the other side of the wall, but eventually, there was the sound of a plate being pushed into the cell. “Up. You will be taken into the courtyard in 15 minutes.”

“Outside?” Arin’s voice sounded surprised, and Brian could hear him getting up out of the bed. “Really?”

“Eat and be ready to be taken.” The guard’s voice was flat and uninterested, then they walked away.

“We’re going outside… maybe I’ll get to see Suzy!” Arin sounded excited, eating what he’d been given.

Brian just stayed quiet, sitting down on the floor to eat the raw meat. He really missed burgers and pizza. “Hey Arin?”

“Hm?”

“When we get out of here, I’m taking you and Suzy to dinner. And we’re going to eat cooked food.”

“I’m already in.” Brian could hear the smile in Arin’s voice. “That’s sweet of you. You’re a really good guy, Brian.”

A faint blush swept across Brian’s cheeks and for once, he was glad they were separated by the wall. “Well, I certainly try.” His tail wagged faintly, which was incredibly embarrassing. He put his hand over his tail to hold it still, but he could still feel it twitching towards the base. “We’ll get out of here soon. I’m sure of it.”

“I hope you’re right.”

They were quiet until guards came to take them outside. Brian smiled when he saw Arin’s nub of a tail wiggling excitedly, clearly looking forward to even catching a glimpse of his wife. It was… incredibly sweet. Brian’s heart did… something. Maybe a response to a form of jealousy, but he wasn’t about to admit that to anyone.

Regardless, the hot air outside filling his lungs was incredible. The outside courtyard was covered by a concrete roof, a chain link fence enclosing it. Brian stared out at the desert, sighing when he looked around for an escape to find none. He stretched his arms above his head, taking the little freedom he could get.

“Arin!”

“Suzy!” Arin ran over to a fence dividing the courtyard. Suzy was on the other side with white fluffy ears and a long white tail with dark spots. He leaned on the fence, Suzy leaning her forehead against his. “Oh Suze, I… I thought I’d never see you again. Have they been hurting you?”

“I’m okay… I’m okay.” She held his hand through the fence. “I’m glad you’re alive… I’ve been so scared.”

“Me too. I miss you.” There were tears in the corners of his eyes, but he just squeezed her hand and took a shaky breath. “Seventy six days. That’s how long it’s been…” He turned around. “Brian, come here a sec… I want you to meet Suzy.”

Brian came over, waving awkwardly. “Hey. Uh, I’m Brian, I’m in the cell next to Arin. He’s been helping keep me sane, I guess.”

“I’m Suzy. It’s nice to meet you.” She gave him a small smile, and Brian’s heart started to beat a little faster, which ached. He didn’t know why.

“He… god, they did some shit to him.” Arin looked over at Brian with a frown. “Like, a week after we were kidnapped, they cut him open and made me watch… he was out for almost two days, and I was terrified. I just want to go home.” The tears were falling freely, and Brian had to assume seeing Suzy just made everything surge forward for Arin, made him face all the fears and anxiety that he’d been holding back. “I just want to go home and for this to be some kind of screwed up nightmare.” He looked like he’d rather be holding her. Brian’s heart just ached for him.

Also everything just usually ached.

Daniel came over looking over Brian curiously. “Brian, right?”

“Um… yes. You’re Daniel.”

“Call me Danny.” He rubbed the back of his neck, and Brian could see that his wings were thin, nearly transparent, with a few slits in them, like he’d hurt himself or… been hurt. “I… I know you’ve been around a little longer than me, I see you when they’re taking you for experiments. They refer to us as wave 3. And I think we’re the only ones who survived. I’m not sure if there are others… from before us.”

“You’re not the only ones left from wave 3.” A voice with just a hint of an accent cut in. A man with large fluffy ears and a furry tail walked over. “I’m Ross… I was brought in about two and a half years ago, at the end of whatever wave 3 means. Barry, who’s right next to me, came in about two years ago, and he’s supposedly wave 4.”

Arin looked over at Suzy. “One of the scientists called us wave 5, I think… they were saying something about making us… submissive and almost being ready. I don’t know for what, but I’m terrified.”

Suzy leaned close, letting out a tired sigh. “...I’m ready for… to go home.”

Arin let out a little laugh. “Soon, I hope.” He kissed her softly through the fence. “...we’ll get out soon.” He pressed his forehead against the fence, eyes closed.

Ross crossed his arms, tail thrashing. “If… you find a way out… let me know.”

Brian let out a weak laugh. “I wish.” He slid down to sit, leaning on the fence.

Danny rested a hand on Brian’s head. “We’ll figure this out. ...can we stick together once we’re out of here?”

“Of course. Not like I’ll be much use in society anymore.” Brian’s tail wagged slightly as he leaned his head up against Dan’s hand. “I doubt I could even find where I lived anymore.” He looked out at the desert, frowning. “I just want to be anywhere else.”

“..About three months ago, you disappeared for almost three days. What happened?” Danny tilted his head slightly, the breeze blowing his hair into his face, over his eyes.

Brian sighed, lightly tugging his shirt collar down to show the ugly, not fully healed scars on his chest. “Punishment. Or experiment. I’m still not totally sure.”

Danny knelt down, furrowing his eyebrows. “Christ, Brian. What did you do?”

“They found out Arin and I talk. We still do, just… quieter. Less.”

Arin sighed faintly, still leaning on the fence. “It’s my fault.”

“No it isn’t.” Brian looked up at Suzy, shocked that they’d said it at the same time. Suzy blushed faintly. “Sorry, it’s probably out of line, but-”

“It’s okay, Suzy. It isn’t his fault at all. ...I hate that I’m here, but I don’t hate that I’ve met him.”

“...I’m glad I met you Brian.”

Brian gave him a small smile, but it fell away when he was cuffed again to be taken inside. He lowered his head, staring at the floor as he walked. If nothing else, he actually felt a little better after being outside and getting some fresh air.

He gingerly laid down and slowly rolled onto his side, leaning his forehead against the wall with a sigh. Even if he just knew Arin was on the other side, it helped.   


**One Thousand One Hundred Sixty Nine/One Hundred Forty Four**

“One thousand, one hundred sixty nine.”

“Nice.”

That got a snort out of Brian. “What are you, 12?”

“You were thinking it too, man.” Arin let out a giggly breath. “Um, one hundred forty four. ...one hundred forty four.”

“Almost five months. I’m so sorry.”

“You’re apologizing to me? Come on, you’ve been here…” There was a long pause as Arin started working out the mental math.

“...need a hand, or…?”

“Shut up, I’ve got this.” Another long moment passed. “Uh, like three years and… two months?”

“Just about, yeah.” Brian sighed. “...wonder if I was declared dead out there. I mean, it’s usually like seven years, but…” He squinted up at the ceiling. “I think I was knocked in the head… I know I was bleeding, so it might look like I was injured before I disappeared. Might mean they think I was killed.” He closed his eyes with a long sigh. “Weird.”

“It’s weird to think the whole world is moving on without us. We’re here, where it feels like time is crawling but moving too fast, and out there, people are… just living their lives…”

“Like we used to.” Brian rested a hand on the wall. “I’m not sure if I’m more scared of the possibility of being here forever or being out of here. How am I supposed to go back to living with a job and not flinching at the sound of boots or keeping count of the days or keeping track of time by guard changes and alarms?”

“...With a whole lot of therapy.” Arin gave a weak laugh. “I don’t know, hon.”

“...hon?”

“Sorry!” Arin cleared his throat. “...I’ll be there for you. Me and Suzy, and probably Danny too.”

“...Thanks.” Brian sighed, wincing when he heard footsteps coming down the hall. A plate was slid into his cell. There wasn’t a command to eat or told when he’d be retrieved, the guard just walked away. “...strange and concerning.” He got up to eat anyway, always hungry. “No idea what this is about.”

“...hope it’s nothing weird.” Arin sounded worried.

Brian took a steadying breath, the bloody meat staining his fingers. “I’m sure I’ll be okay. Don’t worry about me.” They fell silent.

“Up.” Thirty minutes later, there was a guard in the hall. Brian blinked, quickly standing up. He put his arms behind his back obediently, letting himself be cuffed. He sighed softly, ears flicking in annoyance as he was pushed down the familiar path to the lab. He frowned when he didn’t see Danny in his cell, a twist of worry in his chest.

He immediately realized why.

Danny was in the lab, sitting in a chair next to Ross, whose tail was thrashing in annoyance, arms crossed over his chest. Brian was uncuffed and shoved into the remaining third chair. He looked over at Danny and Ross, who didn’t give much of an indication that they knew what was going on.

“And then there were three.” A masked scientist stood in front of them, holding a clipboard. “Do each of you know how long you’ve been here?”

“One thousand, one hundred and sixty nine days.” Brian responded immediately.

“Nice,” Danny and Ross muttered at the same time.

“...too fucking long.” Ross sighed.

“About two and a half years?” Danny bit his lip.

“You three represent what is left of wave three of our experimentation. Waves one and two died out, and much of wave three died. Waves four and five have mixed results, but you don’t need to know about that.” The scientist eyed each of them. “Wave three has almost reached completion.”

“Completion?”

“Quiet fennec.” They waved in others, who hooked each of them up to IVs, forcing each of them to change.

Brian crawled under his chair when he’d transformed, growling just a little as he looked around at the others. Ross was tiny, sitting on the chair with his tail thrashing, and Danny was just a little bigger than Ross if you didn’t count his wings. He stretched his paws out and laid his head on the floor, uncomfortable and wary, fur fluffed up around his hackles.

“You three will be experiencing a new type of training over the next three months. You will be learning to change forms on your own without the drugs and without draining your energy. And then you’ll learn to fight.”

Danny and Ross exchanged a glance, looking about as concerned as a bat and a fennec fox could look. Brian sat up, out from under the chair, feeling a sudden pang of concern.

This… didn’t sound good.

But he knew that questions would just result in more punishment. And if his ribs had anything to say about it, he’d experienced enough punishment for at least awhile.

They were commanded to change back to human, and Ross did it easiest, still perched on his chair, though his ears were drooping and he looked far more tired. Danny fell off his chair, looking half dead and exhausted. Brian stayed sitting on the floor, feeling woozy and nauseated.

When the command came to change back, Brian’s stomach lurched as he pushed his body to change, tail tucked between his legs and fur a mess. Danny couldn’t change all the way, stuck halfway between human and bat, though far less balanced than he was in his typical form. And Ross was slumped in his chair, pawing at his snout with his tiny paws, close to falling asleep.

The scientist gave a command that Brian couldn’t fully comprehend, and there were quick injections into each of them with syringes. By the time Brian had fully changed back to his mostly human appearance, he leaned forward and threw up, unable to keep himself held together.

Danny made a face, looking a little green around the gills. That expression made Brian’s mind start running circles around itself. He’d never seen anyone combined with a non-mammal in the facility. He wondered what would happen if someone was mixed with a fish or a salamander. Of course, humans shifting into animals wasn’t something that should be able to happen in the first place, but it clearly was if his existence these days had anything to say about it.

He was roughly pulled to his feet, and he was struggling to stay standing, a hand gripping his bicep roughly as he was guided back to his cell. He nearly collapsed right there on the floor, but managed to drag himself to the small sink and rinse out his mouth, getting rid of the taste of puke as much as he could before half collapsing in bed.

“Are you okay?”

“...I don’t know, Arin. I’m scared.” They were silent for a long time, and Brian thought Arin might have fallen asleep, considering the idea himself.

“Are things getting worse?”

“Somehow, I think… they might be.”

**One Thousand Two Hundred Seventeen/One Hundred Ninety Two**

Training was strange. Most days, Brian was out of his cell for pretty much the entire day, only returning when he was so dizzy he could barely stand anymore. His conversations with Arin were quiet and tired and short, which almost hurt. He felt incredibly close to Danny and Ross, finding small amounts of comfort in being with them. At the beginning, he’d been fed once every day, but now it was every few days, leaving him feeling as weak and shaky as he’d been in the beginning.

His body protested as he found himself waking to the alarms deep in the building. “No…” He curled up in a ball, tail between his legs as he yawned.

“One hundred and ninety two,” Arin murmured, repeating it quietly to himself.

“One thousand, two hundred and seventeen.” Brian sighed. “Three point three years.”

“...I wish I could just get you out of here, Bri.” Arin sighed and Brian rolled over to face the wall. “I just… I want to take you out of here and just… do everything I can for you.”

“Aren’t you just the sweetest.” Brian gave a weak smile, even though he knew Arin couldn’t see. “I can pretty much change into a wolf without much of a thought now. It’s tiring, but I don’t usually puke.”

“Good. You hardly get fed as is. Throwing up is the worst thing for you.”

“...I’m okay. Don’t waste your energy worrying.”

“It’s not a-”

He was cut off by the boots of a guard coming down the hall. Brian got up out of bed, nearly collapsing as he stood. He braced a hand against the bed, straightening his position before the guard could see him. With a shaky breath, he allowed himself to be cuffed, wincing at how tight they were, the metal biting into his skin. He was roughly taken to the lab, where Danny and Ross were chasing each other, looking happier than Brian had ever seen them. But when the door opened, they froze and quickly sat down, falling silent.

Brian half collapsed into the chair, utterly exhausted. He wasn’t quite sure if he’d even be able to change without blacking out. He yawned into his hand, ignoring the concerned looks he was getting from Ross and Danny. The scientist came in, reading something off to them, but Brian’s mind couldn’t focus, his thoughts wandering and eyes not quite staying focused.

He glanced over when Ross and Danny shifted, realizing he hadn’t been listening to orders. He went to shift, but he was too slow. The scientist approached him, jabbing him with a taser. He cried out in pain, collapsing off the chair. He heard a snarl, and Ross jumped down in front of him, looking about as intimidating as a three pound fox could. Brian felt incredibly dizzy and sick, curling up with his tail tucked between his legs. Danny flapped his wings, landing on top of Brian, hissing at the scientist.

But before anything could really happen, a loud, unfamiliar alarm began to blare. Brian blinked, blearily looking up at red flashing lights. Ross shifted, sitting in front of Brian protectively. “What the hell is going on?”

“Intruder!” The yell came from the hall and Danny and Ross exchanged a look, Danny shifting back.

“Hang in there, Bri… I think today is it.”

Danny was right. The facility was being raided after one of the guards was connected with the disappearance of someone who had been taken. Brian had passed out before the lab had been found, and only found out later.

He woke up in a hospital bed, covered in a thin blanket with an IV in his arm. He blinked up at the ceiling, slowly turning his head to look outside. He smiled weakly, incredibly tired still, but… he was free.

There was a faint knock on the door, Suzy standing in the doorway. Her tail was wrapped around her leg, and she looked nervous. “Brian? Can I come in?”

He winced as he pushed himself to sit up. “Yeah, come on in. It’s nice to, uh, formally meet you.”

She rested a hand on his arm, frowning when she saw how badly scarred his arm was around the IV. “Arin told me how long you were there. I… I wanted to thank you for just… being there for him. There are cops here that want to talk to you, they’re talking to Ross and Arin now. I managed to convince them to let me in here first.”

“Thanks.” He sighed. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“Well, I’m sure the cops will ask basic questions, and-”

“That’s not what I meant.” He sighed, cutting in. “I don’t have anywhere to go. I was probably presumed dead, so my assets were either frozen or distributed to my living family, and my lease is long dead.” He sighed. “Is Arin okay? Are you okay?”

“We’re all pretty malnourished, you, Danny, and Ross more so than the rest of us. Arin’s worried about you, though. You were carried out on a gurney, you know?” She giggled. “I think he’s got a bit of a crush on you, Brian.” When he started stuttering, she laughed a little harder, watching the way his ears flicked. “It’s okay, don’t worry. If Arin does actually have a thing for you… go for it, Bri.” She ruffled his hair softly, slipping a paper into his hand. “Once you’re released, give me a call, okay? I have a feeling you’ll be here the longest. Arin or I will come and pick you up. You can stay with us as long as you need, no arguments!”

With that, she left the room, a slight smirk on her lips and tail confidently aloft.

Brian sighed, nuzzling his face against the cool pillow. The hospital bed was the most comfortable thing he’d laid on in years.

**Negative Six**

“Brian, hey!” Arin came into the hospital room, holding a shopping bag. “Suzy and I bought you some clothes. Just like, jeans and shirts and some boxers.”

Brian was sitting on the bed in a hospital gown, smiling when Arin came in. “Really? That’s great, thank you so much.” He took the bag and headed into the bathroom to change. “Are you sure I can stay with you guys?” He smiled when he saw that Arin had cut a hole in the jeans for his tail.

“Of course! Suzy and I owe you so much. This really is the least we can do for you. Besides, you promised me food at some point.”

Brian pulled a shirt on, stepping out of the bathroom, putting on the flip flops Arin had brought. “Well, I won’t turn down a nice couch to sleep on.”

Arin smiled. “The cats will love you.” He picked up the bag. “I… got a call from a lawyer today. We’ll all be getting settlements, but they want us to testify against the organization. Ross, Barry, and Danny are at my place now with Suzy. It’s a lot to take in.”

“Right… well, it means a lot.” He sighed. “I’m ready to get out of his hospital before I have to go to court and… do things.”

“Well, people are gonna stare.” Arin wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “Just… be ready for that.”

“I never will be. Just get me out of here.” Brian leaned into him, still weak from everything. “Once I put on some more weight, the doctors said I should be less shaky.” He looked up at Arin. “I never did get to appreciate your height.”

Arin chuckled softly. “I appreciate your lack of height, I suppose.” He held Brian a little closer, heading out to the car, frowning when he heard whispers and felt stares. Brian’s ears pressed down against his head, anxious, his tail tucked between his legs. He helped Brian in, letting him get buckled as he got in to drive.

“It’s… weird being out. Everytime I look outside, I’m shocked that there’s a window or that it’s not just miles and miles of desert.” Brian turned on the radio, frowning when the news came on with a story about the facility.

“Breaking news with our ongoing story of the underground laboratory. The organization has been linked to more than 50 deaths, and in one unique case, renowned scientist Brian Wecht, who was legally declared dead in absentia just last month, was found alive. He is set to be released from the hospital and has denied comment to the press. More than 20 people were rescued, all experiencing odd abilities and animal characteristics.”

Arin switched off the radio with a sigh. “Congrats, you’re famous.”

“I’d always hoped it would be a Nobel Prize, not a kidnapping.”

“Well, it’s somewhat scientific.” Arin reached over, lightly fluffing Brian’s tail.

Brian huffed, pulling his tail away. “God, I’m gonna have to get dog shampoo for my tail.”

“Suzy started using cat shampoo. She said it works pretty well!”

“She’s a jaguar, right? White ones are pretty rare.” Brian smiled, tail wagging ever so slightly as he watched the world pass out the window. “Arin, we’re free!”

Arin laughed, reaching over to hold his hand. “We are. Welcome back outside buddy.”


End file.
